Closure having tear strip opening means



Sept. 27, 1966 H. G. HENRICKSON CLOSURE HAVING TEAR STRIP OPENING MEANSFiled Oct. 19, 1964 INVENTOR. HENRY G. H RICKSON ATTORNEY United StatesPatent 3,275,184 CLOSURE HAVING TEAR STRIP OPENING MEANS Henry G.Henrickson, San Leandro, Calif, assignor to Kaiser Aluminum & ChemicalCorporation, Oakland, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 19,1964, Ser. No. 404,580 Claims. (Cl. 220-54) This invention relates tocontainer closure members. More particularly it relates to an improvedcontainer closure member provided with unique container engaging andpilfer-proof closure latching elements.

Accordingly, it is a primary purpose of the present invention to providean improved container closure member wherein novel means are provided onthe closure member for effecting a sealing and locking of the closuremember to the container proper in a pilfer-proof fashion.

This and other purposes of the instant invention will become moreapparent from a review of the following detailed description when takenin conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view illustrating the overall initial shape of asuitable blank prior to its being formed into the container closure ofthe present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective of the formed container closure of the presentinvention;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of the formed container closure or capin sealed engagement with the open end of a container and whereincertain parts are broken away or shown in broken lines for the purposesof clarity; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale illustrating a partof the closure member of the instant invention and when taken generallyalong line 44 of FIG. 2.

With further reference to the drawings and in particular FIG. 1, apreferred blank of material, that can be used in carrying out theteachings of the instant invention generally comprises a circular blankor disc of readily foldable aluminum or aluminum alloy which has aseries of concentric lines impressed thereon so as to form a pluralityof circular concentric sections 12, 14 and 16. In the finally fabricatedclosure member the inner and outer sections 12 and 14 are relativelyplanar with the inner section 12 having the largest area. The inner andouter section 12 and 14 are offset with respect to each other by theintermediate frusto-conical portion 16 as illustrated in FIG. 2. Theouter periphery of section 14 includes an overall flange sectiongenerally indicated at 18 which is adapted to be ultimately curled aboutthe edge of a container body in the fashion generally shown in FIG. 3.The circumferential edge of flange 18 is provided with a fingerengageable liftable tab 20 which is advantageously disposed intermediatea pair of tear tab projections 22 and 24. The purpose of the tab 20 andthe projections 22 and 24 will be hereinafter more fully described.

As the blank 10 is formed by an appropriate sheet metal formingapparatus, into the described shape of the preferr ed embodiment of thecap of the instant invention with the flange 18 being partially curledand the circular sections 12 and 14 being offset by the interconnectingfrusto-conical section 16, a pair of score lines or weakened areas 26 ofdesirably equal length are formed and impressed in an appropriate mannerin the flange 18. One pair of the opposing ends of each score line 26terminate in tab sections 22 and 24 in the form of downwardly inclinedscore line terminals 26a. The opposing pair of downwardly inclinedterminal ends 26]) for score lines 26 terminate as indicated in FIG. 4preferably at approXi I 3,275,184 Patented Sept. 27, 19fi6 mately fromthe first mentioned pair of score line terminal ends.

The portions of the flange 18 between each of the respective score lineterminal ends 26a and 26b and the outer most peripheral edge of theflange 18 beneficially define separable or removable portions 28 and 28awhich are disposed intermediate to and in interconnecting relationshipwith the liftable tab 20 and a hinge portion 40.

Once the cap 10 has been shaped in the manner shown in FIG. 2 it isslipped over the beaded portion 32 disposed at the top of the wall 34 ofcontainer body 30 and into engagement therewith.

With the flange 18 seated on the beaded portion 32, the flange 18 isfurther curled and brought into full sealing engagement with the canbody 30- by appropriate flanging tools, not shown, whereby the removableportions 28 and 28a are curled under the beaded portion 32.

At the same time, the tear t-ab projections 22 and 24 and the liftabletab 20 are advantageously folded flush against the wall 34, all of whichis evident from inspection of FIG. 3.

It is to be further understood, depending upon the nature of thecommodity to be stored in the container body 30 in combination with theaforedescribed cap 10 of the instant invention or the manner in whichthe commodity is to be stored, an appropriate gasket means can beprovided. For instance a gasket in the general shape of an O-ring couldbe applied in any suitable fashion between the oppositely facingsurfaces of the flange 18 and the bead 32 or the inner surface of flange18 can be coated with a suitable gasket compound.

With the cap 10 in such sealable engagement with the can body 30 thissealable engagement is for all practical purposes pilfer-proof andcannot be broken inadvertently during handling without separation of oneof the removable portions 28 or 28a as hereinafter described oraccidental puncture of the cap 10 or can body 30. To initially break thesealable engagement of the cap 10 the user advantageously grasps withhis fingers the tear tab projections 22 and 24 and by pulling sameeffects a tearing of the associated removable portion 28 or 28a awayfrom the main flange 18. To facilitate grippage by the fingers of theultimate user a series of offset concentric circular sections generallyindicated at 38 can, if desired, be press formed on each tear tabprojection 22 and 24. One removable portion 28a is shown by broken linesin FIG. 3 partially separated from the flange 18 along the score line26, it is to be understood however, that the other removable portion 28can be similarly separated by the user whereby both removable portions28 and 28a can be completely separated from the flange 18 along theirrespective score lines 26. When either or both removable portions 28 and28a are separated by the user the initial sealable engagement of the cap10 to the can body 30' for all practical purposes has been broken. Thus,until the removable tearaway portions 28 and 280 are completelyseparated from the flange 18, the cap 10' of the instant inventionbeneficially remains in pilfer-proof engagement with the can body 30.

To release .the cap 10 from the can body 30 after complete removal ofthe portions 28 and 28a, the liftable tab 20 is grasped by the user andfolded upwardly about a hinge line 20a indicated in FIG. 2. This foldingadvantageously assists in producing a pivoting of the cap about thehinge portion 40 of the cap (see FIG. 4) which is disposed at the outeredge of the flange 18 diametrically opposite the lifting tab 20. Thehinge portion 40 of general V-shape is defined by the downwardlyinclined score line end or terminal portions 26b and the outerperipheral edge portion 42 of the flange 18 extending therebetween.Although the liftable tab 20 and hinge portion 40 advantageouslycontribute to the pivotal release of the cap they can also be used toreseal the cap 10 to the can body 30 by merely refolding the lifting tabflush against the can body wall 34 after each replacement of the cap 10onto the beaded end portion 32 of the can body in the fashion indicatedin FIG. 3. From the above description it will be observed that cap 10beneficially provides a pilfer-proof cap until the portions 28 and 28athereof are removed. The refoldable liftable tab 20 and the hingeportion 40 advantageously cooperate to provide a releasable as well as aresealable cap 10 for the can body 30 so that it can be used as astorage container.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variouschanges and modifications may be made therein without departing from thespirit and scope thereof as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a container body a releasable and reuseable captherefor, said cap being provided at the outer periphery thereof with acurled-over flange which is adapted to scalable engage the side wall ofthe container body, said flange being provided with removable rtear awaysections, a hinge portion and a liftable tab, each of the removable tearaway sections being disposed intermediate to and in interconnectingrelationship with the hinge portion and the liftable tab, said removabletear away sections being initially joined to said flange by weakenedareas imposed in said flange, each removable tear away section includinga tear tab projection at the end thereof disposed adjacent the liftabletab whereby the tear tab projections and weakened areas can cooperate tofacilitate separation of the removable tear away sections from theflange and initial release of the cap from sealable engagement with thecontainer body and whereby the hinge portion can provide for pivotalmovement of the cap about the can body upon the grasping and upwardmovement of the liftable tab by the user.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the removablesections of the cap are of substantially equal length.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hinge portion ofthe c ap is located at approximately from the liftable tab.

4. The combination as set forth in claim '1 wherein the liftable tab andhinge portion are foldable relative to the flange.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein the removable tearaway sections of the flange are initially connected to the liftable taband hinge portion by portions of the weakened areas which are downwardlyand inwardly inclined.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,990,077 6/1961Baarn 22054 3,208,626 9/ 1965 Miller et a1 22054 3,211,323 10/1965Foster 22054 References Cited by the Applicant UNITED STATES PATENTS855,695 6/ 1907 Converse.

1,1 18,606 11/ 1914 Weissenthanner.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

G. T. HALL, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A CONTAINER BODY A RELEASABLY AND REUSEABLE CAPTHEREFOR, SAID CAP BEING PROVIDED AT THE OUTER PERIPHERY THEREOF WITH ACURLED-OVER FLANGE WHICH IS ADAPTED TO SEALABLE ENGAGE THE SIDE WALL OFTHE CONTAINER BODY, SAID FLANGE BEING PROVIDED WITH REMOVABLE TEAR AWAYSECTIONS, A HINGE PORTION AND A LIFTABLE TAB, EACH OF THE REMOVABLE TEARAWAY SECTIONS BEING DISPOSED INTERMEDIATE TO AND IN INTERCONNECTINGRELATIONSHIP WITH THE HINGE PORTION AND THE LIFTABLE TAB, SAID REMOVABLETEAR AWAY SECTIONS BEING INITIALLY JOINED TO SAID FLANGE BY WEAKENEDAREAS IMPOSED IN SAID FLANGE, EACH REMOVABLE TEAR AWAY SECTION INCLUDINGA TEAR TAB PROJECTION AT THE END THEREOF DISPOSED ADJACENT THE LIFTABLETAB WHEREBY THE TEAR TAB PROJECTIONS AND WEAKENED AREAS CAN COOPERATE TOFACILITATE SEPARATION OF THE REMOVABLE TEAR AWAY SECTIONS FROM THEFLANGE AND INITIAL RELEASE OF THE CAP FROM SEALABLE ENGAGEMENT WITH THECONTAINER BODY AND WHEREBY THE HINGE PORTION CAN PROVIDE FOR PIVOTALMOVEMENT OF THE CAP ABOUT THE CAN BODY UPON THE GRASPING AND UPWARDMOVEMENT OF THE LIFTABLE TAB BY THE USER.